Untitled
by Perdedor721
Summary: Everything's been going great! Hockey, school, Julie... yes, life was definitely starting to get better for Adam Banks. That's until he gets news he never thought he'd hear. Can his and Julie's relationship survive his new secret? Can he? r
1. The doctors appointment

Author's note: We are extremely proud of this story! It has the best  
  
ending EVER! ;)  
  
"Everyone must have their check-up turned in by Thursday," Orion said looking down at the players sitting all around the locker room. "I haven't received one from Guy, Adam, Goldberg and Russ. See you all at try-outs Friday." Coach Orion left the players all sitting there.  
  
"Speaking of appointments, I'm gonna be late," Goldberg said standing up and grabbing his bookbag.  
  
"Same here," Adam said standing up. Everyone filed out of the locker room. Guy, Connie, and Adam all stopped outside of the locker room.  
  
"Hey, after I get back, do you want to go play some pool up in the rec. room or study or something?" Adam asked looking at the two of them. Guy looked at Connie.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Yea, I don't care what we do, but I can't until 5 p.m. I promised Julie we'd study math together."  
  
"Okay well I won't be back until about 5:30. I'll meet you guys at the rec. room. Okay?" Adam looked at Connie then at Guy. They nodded and said their good-byes. Adam quickly went back to his room to change. He grabbed a pair of jeans and one of his favorite yellow polo shirts. He grabbed his keychain out of his pocket and jogged out to his car.  
  
He threw open the door to his red corvette. VVVRRRRROOOOMMMMM!!! Adam revved the engine and quickly drove out of the parking lot. He turned onto West Junita Ave. He clicked on his turn left signal and quickly turned into the doctor's office. The doctor's office was a big brick building with pink shutters. Great. Adam was overly excited to be visiting the freaking doctor's office again.  
  
Slowly he walked into the office and waited in line behind a tall man with a huge bald spot in the middle of his head.  
  
"I can help someone over here, " a voice came from behind Adam. He turned around and walked over to a woman sitting behind a big glass window. "Name?"  
  
"Umm.. Adam Banks."  
  
"Oh yes, you're here for your check up. Your coach called saying you would have a hockey form of some type."  
  
"Here." Adam pulled a wrinkled paper out of his pocket and handed it to the woman in her blue scrub outfit.  
  
"Okay, you just have a seat over there," she said pointing to a group of chairs set up against the far wall. "Dr. Barnes will be with you in a minute."  
  
Adam picked up a Sports Illustrated magazine and sat down in the chair nearest the window. About ten minutes later a door right next to Adam swung open.  
  
"Adam Banks?"  
  
Adam stood up and put the magazine down on the chair. "That's me."  
  
"Follow me," the nurse stood there for a second and then turned around, her curly hair bouncing behind her. They walked down a long hallway with dull tan carpeting and a lifeless shade of yellow paint all over the walls. Finally they came to room 21. She knocked on the door and then pushed it open.  
  
"Just sit up on the table there and relax. I'm gonna take your blood pressure, your weight, height, and your temperature." Adam jumped up on the table. "Put your arm out please." Adam extended his arm so that the nurse could reach it. She strapped the little black thing around his arm. "Now relax." She began to squeeze the pump. The Velcro strap got tighter and tighter around his arm.  
  
"Good," she smiled and wrote something. Then she pulled out a thermometer. " Put this under your tongue, please." He grabbed the blue thermometer and put it under his tongue. Ding, ding, ding. "Good," she said again writing something else down. "Now take your shoes off and follow me into the hallway."  
  
Banksie unlaced his blue Reebok sneakers and threw them under a chair in the room. He emerged from the room slowly looking around for the nurse. "Over here," she motioned for him to come over to her. "Step up here," she said pointing to the scale. She played around with the numbers on the scale. "159... very good." Then she pulled down the height measurer. "5'11... okay you can go back into the room now and take off your shirt and pants. Dr. Barnes will be in, in about 5 minutes or so. Adam nodded and walked back into the room.  
  
He quickly took off his shirt and pants. He sat back up on the table in his blue plaid boxers. There was a knock at the door. "Umm.. Come in," Adam said nervously. A tall woman with straight brown hair walked in with a smile on her face.  
  
"Hi, Adam," she said looking down at her charts. "Well, everything looks great." She smiled and took her stethoscope from around her neck and blew on it. "Sorry, this may be a little bit cold." She began to listen to his heartbeat. "Take a deep breath." Adam breathed in and out. "Good." She switched to his back. "Breathe in." Again Adam breathed in and out. "Great"  
  
She turned her stethoscope to the side and began to test his reflexes. "Oh my goodness Adam. What happened to your legs? I know you're in hockey.... Have you been playing really rough with the guys in the off season?"  
  
"Um...I'm not really sure how that happened," Banksie said truthfully.  
  
"Hmm," Dr. Barnes said. "They're actually all over you," she said looking at his arms and his back. "Are you sure that you haven't been overdoing it a little at practice or your games?" she asked him.  
  
"I don't think so," he said starting to get a little bit worried.  
  
"Hmm," Dr. Barnes said again. "Well, everything else checks out fine, so you can go for now, but I'd like you to come back next week. Oh, don't worry," she added hastily seeing the frightened look on Adam's face, "I doubt it's anything to worry about."  
  
"Okay," Adam tried to smile. When the physical was finally over Adam followed Dr. Barnes out to the front office.  
  
"Here's your paper," she said handing him back his wrinkled paper. "Oh, and I'll see you next week," she handed him a card that simply said 'Adam Banks Wednesday 3:00' He smiled and walked out the door. 


	2. CakeEater's Pool

Once he was back at school, he slowly walked down the long hallway to the rec. room worrying about next Wednesday at 3:00. When he stepped into the room, he saw that Connie and Guy had already started a game of pool. Connie was beating Guy, of course. Adam had never seen her lose!  
  
"Hey guys," he called across the room.  
  
"Hey, sorry we started without you, but it shouldn't take me too long to beat Guy," Connie said smirking. Guy just rolled his eyes at her.  
  
"It isn't my fault that you are the best pool player on the face of the earth," Guy said sarcastically.  
  
"I'm not the best, you just suck!" Connie said easily shooting the eight ball into the right corner pocket.  
  
"Wanna try and beat me, Banksie?"  
  
"I won't even hafta try," he smiled and grabbed the stick from Guy.  
  
"How'd your appointment go?" Connie asked leaning over the table to set up the balls. Adam grabbed the cue ball and went to the other side of the table. He centered the cue ball on the green felt. Connie finished racking the balls and pulled the plastic triangle away from them. Adam lined up the shot and hit the balls right down the center sending them flying in every direction. A striped purple ball rolled into the left-hand bottom pocket.  
  
"I'm stripes. It was pretty good. I'm healthy... well... I think," Adam said taking his second shot and hitting the striped yellow ball into the center pocket. He then took a shot at the green ball in the corner but hit it too hard and it flew off the table and almost hit Guy.  
  
"Watch it," Guy yipped jumping out of the way of the ball. "I think... Is that a good sign?" Guy asked chasing the ball to the far side of the room.  
  
"Well, the doctor kinda made another appointment for next Wednesday. She wanted..."  
  
"Why?" Connie interrupted knocking the blue solid ball and blue striped ball into the corner pocket.  
  
"Thanks," Banks smiled and set up a shot for the green ball in the corner after Guy had returned it to the table. "I'm not really sure. She was listening to my heart and testing my reflexes and she noticed I had bruises. She thought it was kinda suspicious for having that many bruises in the off season."  
  
"Yeah, that is kinda weird," Guy said watching Bank's green ball fly into the right corner. "Damn Banks," Guy watched Adam set up a shot behind his back and then he actually was able to hit the red ball into the far corner pocket. Guy's jaw dropped. "You're good." Adam smiled and leaned in for his final shot before the eight ball. He lined the shot up, but he hit the cue ball at the wrong angle and it didn't go anywhere.  
  
"Yes," Connie smiled and lined up a shot in the corner with the orange ball. It flew straight in.  
  
"Nice one," Guy said smiling.  
  
"Well why would it matter how many bruises I had. I mean, I do play hockey, even if it is the off season. We have been practicing at the rink and playing street hockey. I could have gotten hurt then," Adam said thoughtfully.  
  
"Can I see some of your bruises?" Connie asked. Adam reached down and pulled up one of his pant legs. "Jesus, Banks... I don't know how hockey, especially street hockey could do that to you. That's horrible." Connie cringed and looked at Guy who was in awe at the huge welts on Banksie's legs. Why have I never seen these before? Guy thought. I'm his freakin' roommate. Connie stood back up.  
  
"Thanks guys, you made me feel so much better about next week," Adam smiled, but you could see in his eyes that he was scared. More scared then he had ever been in all of his life. Connie took her next shot and the cue ball flew all around the table hitting nothing. She smiled and looked at Adam.  
  
"Anytime Cake Eater," Guy smirked and Adam leaned over the table for his next shot. He hit the cue ball at the orange ball in the corner and then took aim at the 8 ball.  
  
"Eight ball left hand middle pocket," Adam looked down at the table and hit a perfect shot. "Good game," he put his stick on the table and smiled at Connie.  
  
"Not bad yourself," she said and put her stick up on the table. "Well, I better go. Jules is waiting for me to study history with her." She walked over to Guy and hugged him.  
  
"See ya at dinner... I've got a surprise for you," he whispered in her ear.  
  
"I'll be there," she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Guy. She stepped away from him. "See ya at dinner," she said looking at both of the boys and slowly pulling open the door.  
  
"I can't believe you did that," Guy said looking up at Adam.  
  
"Did what?"  
  
"You're supposed to let Connie win. She's a girl," Guy smiled and Adam gave him a very sarcastic look.  
  
"I bet that's what you do every time you and Connie play games."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Yeah, you just don't wanna admit that your girlfriend beats you in every game you guys play," Adam said laughing.  
  
"Oh shut up!!" Guy said shoving Adam towards the door. "You're just jealous."  
  
"That's right I'm jealous that you can't beat Connie." Adam laughed and Guy rolled his eyes.  
  
"Let's go Cake Eater." 


	3. Loverboy's waiting

"C'mon Julie, let's go," Connie yelled for Julie. "Loverboy's waiting for you."  
  
"Alright, let's go," Julie said.  
  
"Speaking of Adam..." Connie said. "Did you notice all those bruises he had? It looks really bad. They're all over his legs and arms."  
  
"Well, did the doctor say anything to him about it?"  
  
"She wants him to come back next week so she can check it out." Connie said. "But he didn't seem too concerned so..."  
  
"C'mon, let's just get to dinner, I'll ask him about it then," Julie said.  
  
"Alrighty, let's go," Connie said and she and Julie walked out of their room to the mess hall for dinner.  
  
They met Adam and Guy outside the mess hall. "Hey guys," Connie said. They walked over and got in line behind Averman. The four of them grabbed a tray and slowly moved down the lunch line. Today was pizza day. They all grabbed a slice except for Guy who grabbed 3 pieces. Everyone stared at him.  
  
"What? I'm hungry! I didn't eat lunch."  
  
"Yes you did, Pig, I sat beside you," Adam said laughing. Guy rolled his eyes and looked at Connie. She smiled. They grabbed some more food and went to their normal seats.  
  
Connie sat down beside Guy and Banks sat beside Julie. They began to munch down. I wonder what surprise Guy was talking about. Connie's mind began to wander as she finished off her pizza.  
  
"Oh, I got something for you." Guy dug around in his pocket. Then he stood up and pulled out a small box.  
  
"Thank you so much...."  
  
"Just open it," Julie said, getting more excited than Connie. Slowly Connie tore away the pink paper to reveal a black box. Connie opened the box. There was an emerald ring in the shape of two hearts surrounded by diamonds.  
  
Connie just sat there staring at the ring. "It's beautiful!!" Julie exclaimed leaning over the table.  
  
"Guy where did you get the money for that," Adam asked.  
  
"None of your business," Guy smirked. Connie tried it on and it fit her perfectly.  
  
"Oh, it's so beautiful, thank you so much," she gushed and she kissed Guy. "But what's the occasion?" she asked after they pulled apart.  
  
"No occasion," Guy said, "I just love you so much. And I thought you deserved it for putting up with me for this long," Guy said grinning.  
  
"Jeez, man, you're makin' me look bad," Adam joked. Julie took his hand.  
  
"Oh sweetie, you don't need to buy me expensive gifts and say cheesy, romantic, sappy things to me until after we've gone out a little while longer," Julie joked. Adam smiled at her and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well, that's always reassuring," Adam said.  
  
"So, did everything go alright at the doctor's," Julie asked remembering what Connie had said.  
  
"Uhh...well, there was one thing, but it's nothing," Adam said hoping somebody would change the subject fast. He didn't want to get everybody, especially his girlfriend, all worked up if it turned out to be nothing.  
  
"Oh, c'mon, you can tell me," Julie persisted.  
  
"Ok, well, when the doctor was doing the reflex test she noticed that I had all these welts and bruises all over me, and she made an appointment for me to come back next Wednesday so that she could make sure it was nothing," Adam finished.  
  
"I never noticed any bruises," Julie said, "Lemme see your arm." He pulled his sleeve up to his shoulder and Julie gasped. Connie and Guy were shocked that there were so many bruises. His arm was almost entirely black and blue.  
  
"C'mon guys, what're you staring at, it's no big deal," said Adam nervously.  
  
"Yeah," Julie said trying to calm herself from the shock.  
  
Guy was kicking himself for not noticing that before. He shared a room with Adam and he hadn't noticed. How could he not have noticed? Suddenly, he thought of something that he didn't dare say out loud. In health class they had just studied an entire chapter on diseases and one stuck out in Guy's mind. Leukemia. 'People who have it bruise easily and are much more susceptible to other viruses and illnesses' he remembered reading that over and over while studying for the test.. No, Guy thought, No, Adam couldn't have Leukemia. I'm overreacting. He'll go to the doctor's next week and everything will check out okay. Guy repeated this in his head over and over until he believed it and he never mentioned it to anybody else at the table.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Once Wednesday had arrived, Guy had almost convinced himself that Adam was overdoing it at practice and street hockey. He walked back to his and Adam's room at 2:45 after English class and saw Adam rummaging through his desk drawers trying to find his keys.  
  
"Um, Adam," Guy said. Adam looked around at him. "They're right there," Guy pointed to the top of Adam's dresser and Adam turned around and grabbed the keys.  
  
"I'll be back soon," Adam said nervously.  
  
"Sure," Guy said. As Adam reached out for the door handle Guy saw his hands were shaking like crazy. "Calm down, man, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," he said trying to reassure him.  
  
"Yeah," Adam said. "See ya." Adam almost walked right into Julie in the doorway.  
  
"Hey, you goin' to the doctor's?" she asked. Adam nodded. Julie could tell he was nervous. "I could ride along if ya want, and wait with you."  
  
"No, that's alright, see ya when I get back." He gave her a kiss and quickly walked out the door. She turned to Guy, "Connie wanted me to come down here and ask if you wanted to come watch a movie with us in the rec. room. She woulda come herself, but I wanted to make sure Adam was okay and one of us had to stay and guard our place."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Guy said and he and Julie walked back to the rec. room and they and Connie watched A Nightmare on Elm Street. 


	4. Tests?

Adam arrived back at the doctor's office at exactly 3:00, but he still had to wait ten minutes before the doctor could see him. When he got into the room he had to take off his shirt and pants again, but this time when Dr. Barnes looked over his bruises she seemed much more concerned.  
  
"Go ahead and get dressed. I'll be right back, I just need to make a quick phone call to your parents," she said to him. "About the bill," she added seeing the look on Adam's face.  
  
"Okay." He sighed nervously and began to wonder if this was a lot worse than she was letting on. She walked back in about ten minutes later and told him that his parents were on their way over. "Why?" he asked.  
  
"Well, since you're only seventeen, we need them to sign some forms allowing us to perform some tests..."  
  
"Tests?" Adam interrupted. His heart was racing. "What kind of tests, and please, none of this around the issue, sugar-coated bullshit. What do you think is wrong with me?" Dr. Barnes sighed.  
  
"I really think we should wait for your..."  
  
"Nevermind my parents, tell me what's going on!" Adam yelled.  
  
"Okay, okay. I have taken a look at your family history and there is a certain disease that runs in your family. I believe that you may have it."  
  
Adam's heart sank and he began to feel sick. But it couldn't be what he thought it was. "What is it?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Leukemia," Dr. Barnes said not able to look into Adam's eyes. "We've still got to run the tests, but I am almost certain that is the problem." Suddenly a voice came over a loudspeaker in the corner of the room.  
  
"Dr. Barnes, you're needed in room 15 please." said the voice.  
  
"I'll be back soon," she said to Adam and she walked out the door. Adam suddenly felt dizzy. He grabbed the bed to settle himself. Leukemia? How could this happen? He was sure he was dreaming. There was no possible way any of this could be real. Then, he heard his cell phone ring. He pulled it out of his back pocket.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey," Julie was on the other line. "How's everything going. You gonna be all right?" she asked concernedly.  
  
"Yeah, everything is just fine," he lied. "I won't be too much longer hopefully. See ya in an hour or so," he said.  
  
"G'bye" She hung up the phone. He clicked the off button and put the phone back in his pocket.  
  
There was a knock on the door. "Come in," he called. Dr. Barnes walked in first followed by both of Adam's parents who looked quite unaware of what was going on.  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Banks," Dr. Barnes began. "I would like to ask you to fill out these forms so that we can perform a few standard tests."  
  
"Okay," said Mr. Banks. It was obvious that he was unaware of Adam's situation. "Wait a second, are you sure that these are the right forms, I mean, why do you want to run these tests?" he asked looking over at Adam who had sat back down on the bed and looked extremely pale. Adam's mother took the forms and looked them over. Then she took the pen out of Mr. Bank's hand and signed the forms.  
  
"If it's for Adam's benefit, then what does it matter what kinds of tests they are? You're not a doctor, so don't argue," Mrs. Banks snapped. She handed the forms to Dr. Barnes.  
  
"Thank you," she said as she pushed a button on her intercom and asked for one of the nurses to come to the room. She gave the nurse the forms and Adam's file and told Adam to follow her downstairs to another room where they would be running the various tests to seal Adam's fate. His parents stayed behind and as he was leaving he figured that Dr. Barnes would tell his parents what she thought was wrong. There was no use in waiting for the results; she had seemed so sure when she told Adam what was wrong. He wondered briefly if he should've told Julie the truth and then dismissed the thought by saying to himself that it would be better if she didn't know, that way she didn't have to worry about him on top of everything else.  
  
One and a half-hour later, the tests results came back and Dr. Barnes' theory was confirmed. Adam's mother broke into tears and his dad looked a little bit sick. Dr. Barnes scheduled another appointment for him to come back in two weeks so that they could start treatments. Until then, Dr. Barnes advised Adam to be very careful in any activity, and she pretty much banned him from playing hockey.  
  
"But I gotta play," Adam complained.  
  
"No, definitely not, no hockey whatsoever. Not even practice. As of now, you are finished with hockey!" He didn't know what to say so he just fell silent for the next few minutes. His parents walked with him to his car and then he hugged his mom and began the journey back to school. He didn't know if he'd be able to face Julie and lie to her. It was hard enough to do it over the phone, but he didn't know if he could look into her eyes and lie to her.  
  
He arrived back at school at about 5:45.  
  
"Hey," Julie called to him as he walked into the mess hall. He walked over to the usual table and sat down next to Julie. "How'd everything go?" she asked looking into his eyes. He wished she hadn't asked.  
  
"Um, fine, I'm all healthy." he lied, but he was right, he couldn't look into her eyes when he said this. Instead he looked at the table. Thank God she didn't notice.  
  
"What about the bruises?" Guy asked.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, those didn't just magically appear," Connie said. They weren't gonna make this easy were they.  
  
"Uh, well," he tried to think of some lame-ass excuse as quick as he could. "She said I probably just overdid it, just like I thought to begin with. There's absolutely nothing wrong." He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up. Sooner or later he'd let it slip. He decided to tell Guy and make him swear not to tell a single soul. After dinner, the four of them went to the rec. room (which was where they spent most of their time) and watched a Seinfeld marathon. Adam had to try really hard to relax, but by 8:00 he couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"I'm going to go to bed," he said.  
  
"Goodnight," Connie said.  
  
"See ya in the morning," Julie said giving him a kiss.  
  
"I'll probably be in at around ten," Guy said.  
  
Adam left the rec. room and walked slowly to his dorm room. When he got inside, he flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes. He had felt sick since Dr. Barnes had told him that she thought he had leukemia. It seemed to be getting worse. Now instead of just a stomach aching with anxiety, his head throbbed painfully. He couldn't sleep if he wanted to. Guy walked in at about 9:30 and Adam mustered the courage to tell him what had really happened. He took a deep breath sat up on his bed.  
  
"Guy, I have to tell you something."  
  
"What is it?" Guy asked.  
  
Adam took another deep breath. "I lied about what happened at the doctor's office today."  
  
"What do you mean? You're not really okay?" Guy asked getting worried.  
  
"Yeah, umm, I uh," he wasn't sure how to say it. "I umm, have, uh," he took yet another steadying breath and finished, "Leukemia."  
  
Guy's mouth dropped open. He'd been right. This couldn't be happening. This had to be some kind of sick joke. "Leukemia?" he repeated still not wanting to believe what he was hearing. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw tears rolling down Adam's face.  
  
"Yeah," Adam said shakily. "Apparently there's a history of it in my family. I can't believe this is happening. Everything has been going so great lately, everything's just gone right up until this." Adam looked down at the floor and wiped away his tears.  
  
Guy didn't know what to say. He was too shocked to speak. His best friend had Leukemia...he never thought anything like that could happen to anybody he knew. After a while in silence, a question came to Guy's mind. "Why'd you lie to Julie about it?"  
  
"I didn't wanna worry her or anything," Adam said.  
  
"Don't you think she's gonna notice that your bruises are getting worse and you're getting weaker, not to mention that you won't be able to play hockey anymore?" Guy asked.  
  
"I guess I didn't think about that. I was a little caught up in the fact that I have an incurable disease," Adam said hatefully.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way, but you shouldn't lie to her."  
  
"I'll tell her when I'm ready to tell her," Adam said but not hatefully this time. He looked over at Guy who was looking down at the floor with his hands folded in front of him.  
  
"I'm sorry," Guy whispered. "I didn't mean to piss you off."  
  
"You didn't piss me off, I'm just on edge about this whole thing." He sighed and calmed down.  
  
"I can't blame you for that," Guy said  
  
"I keep thinking it isn't really happening. That I'll just wake up and this will all have been a dream but I don't think that's gonna happen," Adam said.  
  
"Maybe we should try and get some sleep," Guy suggested, clearly trying to change the subject.  
  
"Yeah, I guess," Adam said. He lay back down on his bed and fell asleep a few minutes after he heard Guy's soft snores coming from the other side of the room. 


	5. Mr and Mrs Banks

The next morning when Adam woke up he looked over at Guy's bed and saw it was empty. He sat up and looked over at the clock. 7:10 AM. He got out of bed and got dressed in jeans and a long sleeved shirt to hide his bruises. Then, he walked out of the room and down to the mess hall. He saw Guy at the table all alone drinking a cup of coffee. Adam walked over and sat across from him.  
  
"Morning," Guy said to Adam as he sat down.  
  
"Hey," Adam replied.  
  
"When's your next..."  
  
"Two weeks from now," Adam interrupted.  
  
"Are you gonna tell Orion?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess I have to if the doctor didn't call already.  
  
Just then Connie and Julie walked into the mess hall and they stopped talking about it. Connie and Julie had both gotten hot chocolate and Pop- Tarts for breakfast. "That's healthy," Guy said sarcastically as Connie sat down and began to eat her breakfast.  
  
"Well, coffee stunts your growth," Connie shot back.  
  
"Look who's talkin' shorty," Banksie joked.  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Julie rolled her eyes and looked at Adam, "Don't you want anything to eat?" she asked.  
  
"No, I'm not hungry."  
  
"You've got to eat something! You haven't eaten anything since lunch yesterday," Julie said. She grabbed his arm to lead him up to get something to eat but as she did so he yelped and pulled away. "What!?!?" she asked worried. He pulled his sleeve up to reveal that the awful bruises had gotten worse. I shouldn't have played street hockey yesterday, he thought to himself.  
  
"You said it was no big deal," Julie said to him staring at his arm.  
  
"It's not," he lied. He quickly pulled his sleeve down, but Julie didn't back down.  
  
"Adam, is there something that you're not telling me?" she asked looking deeply into his eyes.  
  
He took her hand, "You don't have to worry about me. If you want, I'll go back to the doctor's."  
  
"Okay, that's good," she said calming down.  
  
Well, at least this time I didn't have to lie, he thought to himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Adam walked down the corridor to Dr. Barnes' office. "Hi, Adam," Dr. Barnes said opening the doors to her office.  
  
"Hi," he pulled up a chair and sat down adjacent to her.  
  
"We just gotta wait for your parents to come and we can begin talking about treatment," she smiled and went back to typing something on her PC. Adam sat back in the tan cushioned chair. He began to think about Julie and the events of earlier. He couldn't worry her about this... She had to worry about hockey and scouts and school ... the last thing she needed was to worry about Adam and his bruises.  
  
"Adam? Adam?" His mom was tapping him on the shoulder.  
  
"Huh? Oh, hi mom," Adam said. His parents sat down in the two seats to the left of him.  
  
"Now Mr. and Mrs. Banks, we will begin treatment for Adam as soon as we get the okay from the hospital and we get the rest of your family medical history." Adam's dad pulled out a few papers from his pocket and handed them to Dr. Barnes. "Thank you," she said taking the papers away from him. She quickly began to type and jotted something down on Adam's record.  
  
"It says here that your uncle, Mr. Banks, had leukemia," Dr. Barnes said reading over the papers. "As well as your aunt."  
  
Mr. Banks nodded. "Yea."  
  
Dr. Barnes nodded and went on typing. She clicked the enter key and the computer made a ringing sound. "Okay, you guys wait here I'm gonna make a phone call to the hospital to ask when the earliest they can start treatment."  
  
"Alright," Mrs. Banks whispered.  
  
"And I need your insurance card."  
  
Mrs. Banks dug around in her purse for a couple seconds and pulled out a blue plastic card.  
  
"Thanks," Dr. Barnes left the room and the family sat in silence.  
  
"So how are you feeling?" Mrs. Banks said breaking the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"I feel fine. Just the bruises hurt," Adam said almost unable to be heard. Mrs. Banks looked down at his arms repulsively.  
  
"Are you sure?" Mr. Banks asked looking at his arms.  
  
"I'm fine... just stop worrrying so much," Adam said standing up.  
  
"Stop worrying?? You're our youngest son with a promising future... stop worrying, Adam?" Mrs. Banks stood up to meet Adam. "We love you... it's hard to not worry about someone you love."  
  
"Sit down, Jen," Mr. Banks said, grabbing Mrs. Banks' arm. She sat down and Adam walked over to the wall and leaned against it.  
  
"Mom... if I can't play hockey how will I have a future. I can't even play street hockey for godsakes," Adam began to pace back and forth around the room anxiously waiting the return of Dr. Barnes. What was taking so long? The sooner the treatment started the quicker he could pick up a stick again.  
  
About 10 minutes later Dr. Barnes walked back into the room. "Good news and some bad. Which one do you want first?"  
  
"GOOD!!" Adam blurted out.  
  
"Okay... ummm... well you can start treatment as soon as tomorrow if you like," Dr Barnes paused and handed Mrs. Banks back her card.  
  
"And the bad?" Adam asked.  
  
"Well you're not gonna be able to play hockey for at least another 8 - 9 months."  
  
Adam sighed and looked at the floor. How was he gonna tell the team or at least what excuse would he would use.  
  
"I'm gonna call your coach and explain ... you can make the decision whether to tell your team," she said almost reading his mind. "You can go now, Adam. Be careful. I just gotta talk to your parents about insurance and stuff. I'll call you tomorrow about making appointments and stuff," Adam nodded and turned to leave. "Make sure you talk to your coach then.  
  
"Okay. Bye mom and dad."  
  
"Bye Hunnie," Mrs. Banks waved and Adam left for the Eden Hall dorms. 


	6. Stubbed you toes?

"How was your appointment?" Guy asked as Adam walked in.  
  
"Well, the doctor said I can start my leukemia treatments tomorrow," Adam said just now turning around to see Connie sitting in a chair next to Guy's bed.  
  
"BANKS??!!?" Connie said getting up. "Leukemia? Why didn't you tell us?" Banks and Connie looked at Guy. "Did you know all this time?"  
  
Guy stood up. "Banks told me not to tell... I mean I would have told you, but I swore not to tell."  
  
"GUY!!!" Connie was furious. "I can't believe you. I've told you everything that goes on between Julie and me. Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"This was different. Much different than some game of truth or dare!!" Guy threw back at her.  
  
Banks stepped away. Real smooth. "Look Connie... I told Guy not to tell anyone. Please understand I was gonna tell the team soon..."  
  
Connie cut him off, "Did you tell Julie?" Connie sighed, from the look on his face Connie could tell he hadn't.  
  
"Connie, you can't tell anyone," Banks said nervously. "Please?"  
  
"As long as you promise to tell Julie... by the end of tomorrow, then I won't."  
  
Adam looked at Guy and sighed. "I'm so sorry," Guy whimpered.  
  
"Fine," Banks stared at the carpet. "Just don't tell her."  
  
"I won't she needs to hear it from you," she said looking at Banks at little worried. "Are you okay? Did you say that treatments start tomorrow?"  
  
"Yea." Banks tried to smile, but Connie could see the worry in his eyes.  
  
She glared at Guy and then smiled. It was so hard to stay mad at him.  
  
"Goodnight," she said and bent over and pecked him on the cheek.  
  
"G'night," he called after her as she walked out the door.  
  
"Are you gonna tell the team then?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't wanna, but Connie isn't giving much of a choice... What am I gonna tell them... I forget how to skate or I busted a limb but never got a cast. They'll figure it out after a while. You know, after I don't come to practice for 8 months."  
  
"8 MONTHS?" Guy asked almost screaming. "Not even street hockey?"  
  
"No... and thanks for making me feel better about the situation," Adam said.  
  
Guy just smiled. "Anytime."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Connie just walked back to her dorm almost in tears. One of her best friends was sick with an incurable disease. She tried to compose herself as she entered room 5. Julie stood up when she came in.  
  
"Connie. Oh my god... What happened? What's wrong?" Julie came over grabbed a hold of Connie's shoulders.  
  
"I'm fine. It's just I-I-I stubbed my toe on a r-r-rock outside," Connie stuttered. Julie stood there disatisfied.  
  
"I bet."  
  
"I did."  
  
"Connie, you can tell me anything... just tell me."  
  
"I told you."  
  
"I'm gonna make some grilled cheese for dinner. Okay?"  
  
"Okay," Connie said and sat down on her bed and when Julie finally turned the corner and was completely in the kitchen. Connie grabbed a pillow and cried into it trying to muffle out her crying. 


	7. Telling Julie

Adam awoke the next morning dreading the day ahead. He slowly rolled out of bed and glanced over at the clock- 7:43am. He looked over at Guy's bed and found it empty. He got dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt and walked down to the mess hall. When he got there he saw Connie and Guy sitting at the ususal table. Connie had her head resting on Guy's shoulder and still looked very tired. He walked over and sat down.  
  
"Morning," Guy said sleepily.  
  
"Hey," he replied. "Where's Julie?" he asked Connie.  
  
"She's still asleep but I set her alarm for 8:00. She should be here soon." The three of them sat and talked for about ten minutes before Julie traipsed into the mess hall.  
  
"Hey," she said sitting down next to Adam and taking his hand.  
  
"Hey," he said smiling. "When's your first class?"  
  
"Um, nine?" she asked looking at Connie.  
  
"Nine-thirty," Connie corrected her.  
  
"Will you come back to my room for a sec?" Adam asked Julie.  
  
"Yeah, sure." They stood up and walked out of the mess hall and to Adam's room.  
  
"So, what's going on?" she asked flopping down on his bed. He sat down at the foot of the bed.  
  
"Um, this is really hard for me to say..."  
  
"Adam, it's me! You can tell me anything," she said.  
  
"Um, remember how I told you that my bruises were no big deal? Well, it turns out that they were. I um... I have... Leukemia," he said looking down at the floor. Julie was completely silent for a moment.  
  
"When did you find this out? Have you had any treatments or anything?"  
  
"Uh, I found out a few weeks ago and my treatments start today." He turned to face her and saw that she had tears streaming down her face. He pulled her close and she sobbed into his shirt.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me before?" she asked sounding somewhat hurt.  
  
"I didn't know how to tell you and I really didn't want you to have to worry about me," he said, starting to cry himself. He sat there holding Julie as she cried for about ten or fifteen minutes and when she calmed down he asked if she wanted to go back to breakfast.  
  
"No, let's just stay here until class," she said wiping the last remnants of tears out of her eyes.  
  
He pushed the hair out of her eyes. They slowly sat there rocking and cooing. Around 9:15 Julie stood up and grabbed Adam's hands. They grabbed their bags and headed out of the dorms for class.  
  
"Did you tell coach yet?" Julie said as she grabbed Adam's hand.  
  
"I was gonna tell him in between math and english when we have those ten minutes of free time."  
  
"Oh," she said. He walked Julie to English and then he went to science.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Adam knocked twice on Orion's office door before he entered. "Just the person I was looking for," Coach said to Banksie as he sat down. "The doc. said you won't be able to play hockey for the rest of your Junior year." Adam nodded.  
  
"So, what happened?" Orion asked.  
  
"I have Leukemia," Adam said. He thought that the more he said it the easier it would be, but he was wrong. It was just more real.  
  
"Oh, well, I'm very sorry to hear that. Make sure you keep me posted on how your doing."  
  
"Sure," Adam said. "Well, I gotta get to class. See ya around, Coach." 


	8. handcuffs and Ruby Tuesdays!

Julie, Connie, Banks and Guy all sat in the boy's dorms watching Mothman Prophecies. Julie was leaning back on Banks. Connie and Guy were laying on Guy's bed. Suddenly Adam's cell phone vibrated on Julie's back and the then rang twice and then vibrated and then rang twice. He pulled the the phone out of his pocket.  
  
"I better take this it's my brother," Adam said making Julie sit up. He pushed talk.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Adam. It's Michael."  
  
"Hey Mike."  
  
"Mom and Dad called me. Man this really bites. You're gonna miss basically the whole season of hockey of in your junior year. I feel bad for you."  
  
"Yea I know... this really pisses me off. Why couldn't I get treatment in the off season."  
  
"Mom was really worried about you. She was in tears."  
  
"You think that's bad? You should of seen her at the doc's office.... I mean I was flipping out she didn't need to be flipping out too." Mike laughed. "Look Mike I gotta go ... Julie and I were watching Mothman Prophecies."  
  
"You've only seen that 100 times. Alright I'll talk to you later. Behave yourself."  
  
"Yea, I'll try. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Adam hung up and slid the phone back into his pocket. He took his place behind Julie and they finished watching their movie. Connie and Guy stood up.  
  
"We're gonna go grab a bite to eat. You guys wanna come along?" Connie asked.  
  
"You want to?" Adam asked Julie.  
  
"Um, not really... do you?"  
  
"Nope. See ya later, guys," he called as Connie and Guy walked out the door.  
  
"What did Mike have to say?" Julie asked turning around and lying on top of Adam.  
  
"Nothing really," he said. She put her hand on his arm, forgetting about his bruises, and went to push herself up.  
  
"OUCH!" Adam yelled.  
  
"Oh my God! I am so sorry," she said.  
  
"No, no, it's okay," he said. His arm throbbed painfully where she had pushed on it. She laid back down on the bed next to him.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked looking concernedly at his arm. He put his fingers under her chin and tipped her mouth up to meet his. They shared a long kiss. When they pulled apart Adam's phone rang again. "Stupid phone." Julie stood up, walked across the room, and looked at the pictures on the dresser.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Adam, it's Dr. Barnes. I'm calling about your chemo..."  
  
"Oh, yeah, did you want me to come in today?" Adam asked.  
  
"Yeah, and somebody will need to come along to drive you back to school."  
  
"Okay, when do you want me to be there?"  
  
"Um, in about two hours. Is that okay?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be there. Bye." He hung up the phone .  
  
"Hey, Jules?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Will you come with me to chemotherapy?" he asked.  
  
"Sure... When are we going?"  
  
"In about two hours," he said.  
  
"Are you nervous?" she asked him sitting back down on the bed next to him.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, if the chemo doesn't work there's not much left that they can do..."  
  
"It'll work, Adam. I know it will. You'll be fine," she said taking his hand and kissing him again. He let out a nervous sigh. "I know you'll be okay," she said again. "C'mon. Let's go eat before we go." She stood up and pulled him to his feet. They walked hand in hand to the mess hall. They each grabbed a cheeseburger and some fries and sat down at the ducks table with Fulton, Portman, Kenny, and Luiz. They quickly chowed down their food.  
  
"Dude, how are you feeling, Banks? You're looking a little pale or something," Fulton said taking a huge bite of his burger.  
  
Adam looked at Julie. "I'm fine I swear." Julie and Adam got up from the table and dumped their trays in a nearby trash can.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow at practice, man," Portman said.  
  
"Yea, uhh bye," Adam said remembering the only way he would get near the ice is if he became the team's waterboy. Banks looked at his watch they had 15 minutes or so to get there.  
  
"Ready?" Julie asked as they walked down the front stairs of Eden Hall.  
  
"Kinda... I guess so," Adam said looking over at Julie. "You're awesome."  
  
Julie smiled." Thanks, I think"  
  
"You didn't let me finish. You're the best friend I ever had and thank you so much for coming with me." He leaned in to kiss her again.  
  
They climbed into Julie's green Mitsubishi Eclipse and pulled out of Eden Hall. They came to a red light beside The Overlook Motel and saw Guy's green convertible pulling out of the lot and right beside them at the light. Connie was sitting in the passenger's side of the car and her hair was sticking up everywhere. Guy was another story. He had Connie's pink lipstick all over his white collar of his shirt and on his neck.  
  
"Looks like they stopped for a little dessert on the way home," Banks said laughing as Connie looked over and tried to fix her frizzy hair, but got her handcuffs on her left hands stuck in her hair. She finally got them out and then waved.  
  
"Yea, I'd say." Banksie and Julie laughed almost all the way to the doc's office, which helped Adam get rid of his butterflies until he saw the huge white sign on the front of the brick building.  
  
He parked the car and took in another unsteady breath as he pulled the keys out of the ignition and handed them to Julie.  
  
They walked into the waiting room, Julie sat down, and Adam got in line.  
  
"Next," the woman with the monotone voice asked.  
  
"Adam Banks..."  
  
"Oh, yes. You are supposed to go right back to her office and your parents were not invited today. So you can bring whoever you brought to take you home back to the room with you." The woman pushed a yellow piece of paper under the window which basically said what she had just said. "Just go on back there when your ready." She smiled and Banks went over to sit by Julie and handed her the note.  
  
"Do you wanna come back with me back to the room?" He asked looking deep into Julie's eyes.  
  
"Sure, I guess so," She said thoughtfully.  
  
"Thanks," he smiled and she grabbed his hand and they walked down the endless hallway again. They reached the office and the second they were in there Dr. Barnes led them to the radiation room. She showed Julie a place to stand behind a large pane of glass with Dr. Barnes and a few other people overseeing the session. Julie watched as the green lasers passed over Adam's body time and time again. It seemed to take forever, but she couldn't even imagine how Adam was feeling. Once the chemo. was over Julie walked to the door to meet Adam. He looked awful. He was paler than he'd been even before and it seemed as though he could barely stand on his own two feet.  
  
Dr. Barnes said something about calling him later that week. Adam wrapped his arm around Julie's shoulders and she helped him out to the car. She opened the side door and Adam slid in. She grabbed her keys and walked to the driver's side and started the car.  
  
"How do you feel?" Julie asked trying to smile.  
  
"Um... I guess better than expected," he said wheezing a little.  
  
When they finally got to the dorms and Julie again got out of the car and helped Banksie back to his dorm. Guy and Connie were sitting on Guy's bed. Julie sat Banksie down on the bed and sighed.  
  
"Hi," Connie said looking at Banks who was collapsed on the bed and Julie was sitting on the end of his bed. Julie noticed they had changed, but Connie's hair was messed up and she was wearing one of Guy's shirts. Connie's handcuffs were around Guy's bedpost.  
  
"Did you guys have a good time at the resturant?" Julie asked smiling at Adam who smiled back.  
  
"Yea, the food was great," Guy said.  
  
"Good... were did you go?" Banksie asked smiling.  
  
"Friendly's," Connie said.  
  
"Ruby Tuesday's," Guy said at the same time. Banks and Julie shot them an awkward glance.  
  
"I mean Ruby Tuesday's," Connie said slyly.  
  
"You wouldn't have happened to stop at the Overlook for a quick dessert... did ya?" Julie asked smiling at Guy and Connie. They all laughed and Guy said he was going to go for a walk and Connie volunteered to go with him.  
  
"Bye," Julie said closing the door. "Do you need anything Adam?" She went over and sat on his bed.  
  
"Come here," he said. She laid down on the bed beside him. He put his arms around her shoulders. "Thanks for coming today. I really appreciate you for it. I am so lucky to have you as a girlfriend and I have to tell you something." Julie rolled over to face him.  
  
"What?" She asked a little worried.  
  
"I-I love you," he paused and looked into her light blue eyes. She looked up at his pale face and his blue eyes. She paused for a few seconds and returned the romantic, flirty look Adam was giving her.  
  
"And I'm madly in love with you." He pulled her in close and they shared a long, passionate kiss. He laid flat on his back and she rolled on top of him. He squirmed in pain and then kissed her again this time longer than before. She touched his face and ran her fingers through his hair. She laid down flat on top of him and he whined and squirmed again.  
  
This time she rolled off of him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."  
  
"I'm fine," he whispered but winced in pain. His body was aching like crazy were Jules had just been laying. "It's my fault. I'm sorry."  
  
"No, it's not Adam," they smiled and she stroked his hair lightly and then they wrapped their arms around each other and fell asleep in each other's arms. 


	9. happy go lucky!

Adam and Julie wearily woke up the next morning. They woke to the sound of Guy humming a Lifehouse song in the kitchen.  
  
"Morning sleepy heads, how about some coffee?" Guy asked bringing to cups of steaming coffee over to them. Julie sat up feeling a little stiff, but the coffee was worth it. Guy made the best coffee. Adam slowly got up.  
  
"What time is it?" He asked looking for the digital clock which was always being misplaced in their room.  
  
"It's about 8:30, but classes don't start until 10:00 today," Guy said. "Do you want eggs?"  
  
"We actually have more than just chips and soda in our dorm?" Adam asked weakly trying to get off the bed.  
  
"Well do ya?" Guy smiled as he cracked an egg into the frying pan.  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Yea. Where is Connie?" Julie asked looking around.  
  
"She's in my... pants."  
  
"No that was yesterday, Dumbass, remember?" Adam said standing up laughing.  
  
"Ohh yeah... she's still asleep in my bed." Guy said pointing to the lump in his bed.  
  
"Oohhh that's why your so happy-go-lucky this morning?" Julie asked walking into the kitchen. Guy nodded.  
  
Adam walked over to Connie and began to wake her up. She groaned Guy's name and pulled the pillow over her head.  
  
Julie grabbed some toast, buttered it, and then gave it to Guy.  
  
"Thanks," he threw it on a plate and threw some eggs on them. "Connie!! Your eggs are ready." Connie poked her head out from under the blankets.  
  
"GO AWAY!!" She crawled back under the blankets. Guy pulled the blankets off Connie. She was lying sprawled on the bed with nothing, but one of Guy's old shirts on. "Uhhhhhh!!!!!" she groaned and rolled over and hit Guy's side.  
  
"Come on Sunshine... it's time for breakfast and school is gonna start in like an hour." Julie said grabbing Connie's wrists and pulling her to her feet. They all ate breakfast in a bit of a hurry and the girls left for their room to get their clothes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Adam returned 2 weeks later for his 3rd session of chemo. With Julie and his parents at his side he walked down that dreaded hallway again and straight into the radiation room. By now he knew the procedure. He was already on the table before the doctor could say a word.  
  
After the the chemo. that day Mr. and Mrs. Banks went into a small room with Dr. Barnes and Adam. Julie sat on a bench out in the hallway and waited for them to come back out. After about 20 minutes, Mrs. Banks came flying out the door crying and screaming. 10 minutes later, Mr. Banks and Adam came out looking very upset. Adam was silent most of the ride home.  
  
"What's wrong Adam?" Julie asked as she helped him out of the car.  
  
"It's the chemo. It's not helping. I mean it did the first time and a little the second, but this was completely useless."  
  
"Oh, Adam." Julie helped Banks back to his room and he flopped down on the bed and began to talk about what the doctor had said. She told him that it had spread and that it was continuing to do so at an alarming rate.  
  
"She said that we'd do a few more sessions of chemotherapy, but if that doesn't work then we just have to face the inevitable." A tear ran down his cheek. He tried to wipe it away before Julie saw but she caught it.  
  
"When you say 'the inevitable', you don't mean..." she looked at him and knew that he did mean it. Death. She sat there with him both of them crying softly on each other's shoulders. Guy walked in and saw them crying.  
  
"What's wrong?" Guy said very concerned.  
  
"It's spreading...." Julie said in between breaths.  
  
"But I thought that you said the chemo was working," Guy said getting a sinking feeling in his stomach.  
  
"It worked the first two times but since then it's spread," Adam said trying to stop crying. There was a knock on the door.  
  
"You're gonna hafta come back another time," Guy called.  
  
"Guy, it's me. Let me in," came Connie's voice from the other side of the door. Guy walked over and unlocked the door.  
  
"Hey, guys," Connie called brightly, but upon seeing the looks on their faces her attitude quickly changed. "What happened?" she asked terrified of the answer.  
  
"Um, the chemo isn't working," Guy said.  
  
"Oh my God!" Connie whispered. 


	10. SSSEEEXXYYY!

At 6:00 the four of them decided to go to dinner. Julie and Connie were sobbing uncontrollably, Guy looked pale and sick, and Adam was way beyond tears at this point. When they sat down at the Duck's table, Ken asked them what was the matter. Guy, Connie, and Julie all looked at Adam.  
  
"I've been fighting leukemia for the last month or so. That's why I haven't been on the ice lately. Today I found out.." Adam took a deep breath trying to compose himself. "I found out that it is consuming my body and if the chemo. treatments I've been taking don't work. I'm gonna...." He couldn't bring himself to say it. "Ummmm... well it's not gonna be good."  
  
The whole team's appetite was gone. They all had a million questions, but they restrained themselves. Adam sat down and put his head in his hands and began to sob again. Julie sat beside Banksie and began to sob just as much as him. Guy sat down on a chair and Connie sat on his lap and leaned back against him and sobbed into his shirt. No one said a thing. They just sat there in awe.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Connie and Julie slept in the boys room again. Saturday morning no one got up until about 1pm. Finally Banks told everyone they had to get up. Guy was the last one up. They all just sat there staring at each other. "So if I'm gonna like.... you know... can we make my last few days fun?" Banksie asked looking up at all of his friends.  
  
"Adam, don't talk like that...you're gonna be fine! You have to be!" Julie bawled.  
  
"But if I'm not I just want my last few days to be fun."  
  
"Okay, so, what do you propose we do?" Connie asked.  
  
"I dunno, anything would be better than sitting in here and being depressed for the rest of my life."  
  
"Well, what can we do?" Connie asked. Guy hadn't said a word yet.  
  
"Um, well, we could go see a hockey game..." Julie said trying to think of anything.  
  
"How does that sound to you guys?" Banks asked.  
  
"Sounds good," Connie said.  
  
"Guy?" Adam asked looking at Guy who still hadn't opened his mouth yet. He nodded his approval and they walked out the door to Guy's car. They all climbed in, Adam and Julie in the back and Guy and Connie in the front. They got on highway 180 and Adam began digging in the seat.  
  
"What is this," Adam said pulling a pair of lace pink underwear out of the seat. Adam held the underwear over the front seat. Connie blushed, Guy laughed and grabbed them and put them in his pocket.  
  
"SEEEXXXXYYYY!!!!" Julie howled from the back seat.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After the hockey game, they went to Lamonica's to get dinner. Guy had not said a thing to any of them all day long.  
  
"Guy, what's wrong?" Connie asked taking his hand.  
  
"Nothin'," he muttered.  
  
"Oh, come on, I know you WAY better than that! Tell us what's wrong," Connie urged.  
  
"It's really not a big deal."  
  
"You're such a liar," Adam said.  
  
"Come on, tell us," Julie insisted.  
  
"You're gonna think it's stupid!" he said.  
  
"We promise we won't," Connie said.  
  
"Alright. This whole thing with Adam has me a lot more worked up than you guys because I knew somebody who had Leukemia."  
  
"Who?" Julie asked.  
  
"Well, you know how my dad died when I was 13... he died of leukemia."  
  
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Connie asked.  
  
"It's not like you ever asked. I didn't want you guys to know anyway," he said looking down at the table.  
  
"Why not?" Julie asked.  
  
"I don't know, I just didn't," he said. He looked up at Adam who had gone very pale. Everything had suddenly become real to him. He realized that he actually could die which was something he'd never fully grasped before. "Adam don't worry. I think you're gonna be okay. My dad's case was more severe. The doctors didn't realize he had it until he started to get more ill more often, and by the time they discovered it he had no chance. They said he was too weak to go through chemo. and he chose to go," Guy said fighting back tears. They spent rest of dinner fairly quietly. After being there for no more than an hour, they paid for their meals and left. 


	11. Bombay's back!

Guy went to bed almost instantly when they got home from the diner even though it was only 9:00. Adam walked the ladies home and then came back to his own dorm and went to bed.  
  
Adam woke up the next morning to the sound of Guy yelling at him.  
  
"Get your lazy ass outta bed! You're gonna be late!"  
  
"Okay, alright. I'm up!" he yelled back. He sat up in his bed and Guy walked over and handed him a cup of coffee. Guy threw a pair of jeans and a shirt at Adam's head. "Guy, calm down, I've got an hour before I have to go."  
  
"We're not going to the doctor's yet, you dunce, now get ready!" he yelled.  
  
"Where the hell else would we possibly need to go at seven in the morning?" Adam asked annoyed.  
  
"You'll see when we get there...and we're takin' my car so please try to keep your hands off of Connie's underwear!" he joked.  
  
"I'll try to contain myself," he joked back. He finished his coffee and started getting dressed. At 7:15 there was a knock on the door and when Guy answered it Connie and Julie walked in beaming at the boys.  
  
"Let's go," Connie said hustling the boys out door. Everyone quickly crammed into his car. Julie grabbed Adam the second the were in the car and they started making out.  
  
"Get a room," Connie said giggling.  
  
"Maybe we will," Julie said taking a breath.  
  
"What's this all about my appointment isn't until like 8 and it's 7:..." He was cut off as Julie pulled him back in. Adam shrugged it off and went along with it.  
  
Ten minutes later, they reached the hospital and they went inside. They took Adam into the hospital room that he'd be staying in. His room was filled with hockey posters and Mighty Ducks colored crepe paper and all kinds of hockey stuff everywhere and Bombay was standing at the side of his bed.  
  
"Coach, it's great to see you," Adam said running to the other of the room and hugging Bombay.  
  
"Do you like it?" Guy asked walking further into the room. "Since you were gonna be here for like a week we made it more like home."  
  
"We'll come every day to visit you every day to bring your work..."  
  
"...And to make-out," Julie said interrupting Connie. Everyone in the room laughed. All of the sudden Adam's happiness turned to terror when Dr. Barnes walked in and told him to go to the radiation room. After chemo, Dr. Barnes ran the same tests as she had before. These results were not encouraging. There had been no change. Julie and Guy escorted Adam back to his room.  
  
"How'd your tests go?" Guy asked as they reached the room.  
  
"Everything was the same as yesterday," Adam paused. "At least things didn't get worse." Guy pushed the doors open to a completely dark room. "Do you guys know where the lights are in this room? I haven't had time to even find the bathroom yet." Guy felt for the switch on the wall and flicked it on. All the Ducks jumped out.  
  
"SURPRISE!!!!" Adam almost fell backwards out the door in surprise. He walked over to his bed and sat down. The Ducks had brought him tons of get well gifts. They spent about two hours there before Dr. Barnes finally kicked everyone but Julie out.  
  
"Don't spend too long in here. I'll be back in an hour to kick you out. Adam needs his sleep," Dr. Barnes said leaving them alone in the room. Julie crawled up on the table and laid down beside Banksie.  
  
"Thank you, tonight was great... well besides the tests and and stuff," Adam whispered to Julie.  
  
"You better have liked it. Guy, Connie and I got up at three o'clock this morning planning and decorating. I'm so tired," Julie said yawning. Julie and Banks looked at each other and Julie got the sudden urge to jump Adam's bones. Julie and Adam began to kiss very extensive kisses. Julie must have made out with Banks for like an hour because Dr. Barnes came in and told her it was time to go.  
  
Julie caught the bus and she thought about Adam almost all the way home. She must have been crazily in love with him. She couldn't get his tender kiss off her mind all night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Adam knew that he needed to get to sleep but he just couldn't get Julie off his mind. Stupid leukemia!!!!! Stops him from doing WAY more than just hockey! After a few hours of thinking of nothing but Julie, Julie, and more Julie, he drifted off to much-needed sleep.  
  
The next morning he awoke to the sound of a knock on his door.  
  
"Come in," he called sleepily.  
  
"Hey...sleep good?" Julie asked as she walked in the room.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Julie pulled up a chair controlling her urges to crawl up on the bed with Banks. "Good."  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
Julie looked at her watch. "It's like 10 o'clock. They're having a freak staff meeting today and they cancelled school."  
  
"Are you serious? That rocks and here I am stuck in a hospital bed."  
  
"Don't worry about it Adam. I'll just spend the whole day with you," she said smiling. "Guy and Connie went out to Ruby Tuesday's for a bite to eat and some dessert, but they'll be by later."  
  
"Did you make sure that they didn't forget their handcuffs?" Adam asked. Julie laughed.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, they weren't on Guy's bed." They both laughed again.  
  
They talked for half an hour when they heard a soft knock at the door.  
  
"Come in," Adam yelled.  
  
In strolled Connie and Guy actually looking very close to normal. Except for the pink lipstick on the very tip of his dark green sweater.  
  
"How are you doing Cake Eater?" Guy said pulling up a chair next to him and Connie pulled up one right next to Guy.  
  
"I'm fine... How was Ruby Tuesday's?" Adam asked looking at the two of them.  
  
"Ooh... Ruby Tuesday's was beyond belief," Guy smiled.  
  
"Yea... incredible," Connie smiled. "Julie can I borrow your cell phone for a minute? Mine went dead in the car and Guy left his at home.  
  
"Sure," Julie said digging around in her tiny purse. While shoving things around she pushed two large silver rings onto the floor.  
  
Everyone stared at Julie. "There they are," Guy said picking up the handcuffs. "Now why didn't I think to look in Julie's purse?" Everyone laughed.  
  
"I swear i didn't put them in there," Julie said looking at Banksie as inoccently as possible. At that moment Dr. Barnes walked into the room and Connie hastily shoved the handcuffs into her purse.  
  
"Um...okay," she said looking at each of them and then back at Connie's purse. "Anyhow, Adam, it's time for some tests. You guys can wait here if you want. It'll be about an hour or so."  
  
"Uh, yeah, we'll wait," said Julie. Adam stood up and walked out of the room with Dr. Barnes. Adam was very nervous about these tests. If two more of them came back unchanged or worse they were going to stop chemo because it would be useless. His heart sank when Dr. Barnes said that the results came back unchanged again. He had one chance to get a positive or else...  
  
He walked into the room and laid down on the bed. Julie could see the test results written all over Adam's face. Connie, Guy, and Julie all looked at each other.  
  
"Um, sweetie, how bad was it?" Julie asked Adam.  
  
"I have one more chance to get better results or we're stopping chemo," he said trying to keep his voice steady. "Tomorrow could be the last chemotherapy session I ever have to go through." Julie had tears running down her face and she walked over and wrapped her arms around Adam. Guy sighed and looked at Connie she leaned onto his shoulder.  
  
"It's okay Adam tomorrow is gonna be positive," Julie cooed into Adam's ear. Guy and Connie stood up.  
  
"Listen, Banksie, Connie and I are going to leave you two alone," Guy said standing up and walking towards the door. "We'll be back later tonight." Adam nodded and scooted over so Julie could lay on the bed too.They laid there for a few minutes talking about the hand cuffs again. Julie was trying to comfort him by making him laugh and she was doing a good job. 


	12. FINNAALLLYYYY!

Leaving Adam that night was one of the hardest things Julie had ever done. She knew how nervous and scared he was about tomorrow. Why had she left? She should have stayed over night and cancelled school tomorrow. As soon as she left the room she felt horribly guilty, but I mean, the ducks and Bombay would be visiting him all throughout the night. I mean, I don't have to be with him every second of the day, she thought.  
  
The next morning Julie woke up at 8:00 and decided to visit Adam before class. She drove the five miles to the hospital and took the elevator to his floor.  
  
"Who are you here for?" the receptionist asked her.  
  
"Adam Banks," she said.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry...".  
  
"For what... What happened?" Julie cut her off  
  
"The Leukemia got to him... the chemo. didn't work and he passed away around 1 a.m. I'm very sorry miss." Julie felt warm tears running down her cheeks. She couldn't believe her ears. She sat down on a nearby bench to try and calm herself but it was impossible. She began to sob uncontrollably.  
  
Julie's eyes shot open, she was shaking and cold sweat was dripping down her body. She was breathing very fast and heavily. It was dream. Just a dream. She threw on some decent clothes and left a note for Connie saying she wasn't gonna be at school tomorrow. She turned the lights off in the dorm. She grabbed her keys and headed for the hospital. Worrying about Adam's test results tomorrow was really killing her. She drove to the hospital. She went up to the receptionist.  
  
"Who are you here for?"  
  
"Adam Banks."  
  
"Okay." The receptionist let her through the doors and she walked into Adam's room. When she walked in he was sleeping already. She pulled up a chair and sat next to his bed trying to stay awake but eventually she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next morning when Adam woke up he looked over and saw Julie sitting next to his bed holding his hand. She had fallen asleep in the chair. He sat up and his bed squeaked. Julie's eyes snapped open. "Oh, I'm sorry. You know, you could've slept on the bed. It wouldn't have bothered me," he smirked.  
  
"Aw, thanks for the offer. I might take you up on that one next time," she said grinning sleepily at him.  
  
The door opened and Dr. Barnes walked in. "Hey you two," she grinned. "Adam, I was just making sure that you were awake. You've got your chemo in about an hour," she said shutting the door as she walked away.  
  
"Nervous?" Julie asked.  
  
"More than ever," he replied.  
  
"I'm sure everything will be fine."  
  
"Yeah, well, that makes one of us."  
  
An hour later Dr. Barnes led Adam out of the room and into the radiation room. "How are you feeling today, Adam?"  
  
"I'm feeling okay, I guess."  
  
"Great, now, you know what the results of today's session will mean..."  
  
"Yeah, we went over this," Adam said with butterflies in his stomach.  
  
Adam laid on the table more nervous then ever watching the lasers dance across his body. When the session was finally over Adam jumped off table and followed Dr. Barnes into his room where Julie paced nervously around the room. Adam grabbed Julie's hands and they sat down across from Dr. Barnes. She looked up at the two of them and cracked a smile.  
  
"It worked. The chemo worked and much better than expected. You'll be here for a few more days and then you can come back once a month for treatment."  
  
Julie looked at Adam and almost jumped on him out of excitment. "Oh my God, Adam," She leaned over her chair and gave Adam a long, sweet kiss. They stood up and began to kiss more passionately. Dr. Barnes left Adam and Julie to themselves.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Six Months Later  
  
"Hey Adam, over here!" Julie called to Adam from across the lunchroom. He walked over to sit down with her. "So, how'd it go?" she asked.  
  
"It's official...I'm in remission!"  
  
"Great. Does this mean..." She raised her eyebrows suggestively. He nodded and grabbed her hand. He led her out of the mess hall and to her dorm.  
  
He grabbed the handcuffs off Connie's dresser. "Finally," She smiled as he laid her on the bed.  
  
The End 


End file.
